Product management display system with trackless pusher mechanism

• US 10,448,756 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2018
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RTC Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RTC Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Hardy, Stephen N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad, Jennifer E.
• Application Number:
  US16/009,644
• Publication Number:
  US 20180360235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 494 Days
• Field of Search: 211 593, 211119003, 211184, 211 74, 211 51, 312 61, 312 71, 108 61, 108 60, 206817, 221227, 221225, 221279
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2096/207 Furniture panels consisting of a frame with interchangeable insertable panel
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/58 with means for adjusting partitions horizontally book-ends A47B65/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/583 by sliding
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 65/15 Partitions, e.g. dividers
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/126 the pushing device being urged by spring means
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/005 Partitions therefore horizontally adjustable A47B57/58; constructional details of drawers A47B88/90
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/0007 for stacked articles; Stabilising means therefor for cans or bottles A47F7/281
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/28 for containers, e.g. flasks, bottles , tins, milk packs racks or containers with dispensing arrangements A47F1/04; for lipsticks or markers A47F7/0021; for audio/video cassettes or booklike articles A47F7/14

Abstract

A product management display system for merchandising product on a shelf includes using a trackless pusher mechanism that travels along a surface on which product is placed. A plurality of thin dividers separate the product into rows. The dividers may be formed separately and attached and secured by being inserted into a plurality of grooves arranged along the lower surface and the forward and rear support posts of the product dispensing tray. The dividers are configured to self-adjust by laterally shifting within the grooves when the product is moved forward by the pusher to being loaded by an operator to allow the product to be positioned in a tight fitting manner to maximize the amount of product that can be accommodated horizontally across the tray. In addition, the dividers may have a bottom wall spaced from the surface with a support column that is inserted into an elongated pocket to provide the structural support for the divider.

Claims

1. A product management display system comprising:

a tray having a front end, a rear end, and a floor configured to support a plurality of product, wherein the floor includes a plurality of grooves such that each groove of the plurality of grooves engages one of a plurality of divider walls, wherein each divider wall of the plurality of divider walls separates the tray into a plurality of product dispensing rows;

a pusher mechanism arranged within each product dispensing row of the plurality of product dispensing rows, wherein the pusher mechanism is configured to move the plurality of product toward the front end of the tray; and

wherein each divider wall is arranged to laterally shift within its corresponding groove when contacted by a product of the plurality of product when the product is moved forward by the pusher mechanism.

2. The product management display system of claim 1, wherein a plurality of forward support posts are positioned at the front end of the tray and a plurality of rear support posts are positioned at the rear end of the tray, and wherein a second plurality of grooves extend vertically along the plurality of forward and rear support posts, wherein each groove of the second plurality of grooves is configured to receive one of the plurality of divider walls.

3. The product management display system of claim 2, wherein each divider wall of the plurality of divider walls includes a first engaging member at a first end of the divider wall that engages with a corresponding engaging member of one of the plurality of forward support posts and a second engaging member at a second end of the divider wall that engages with a corresponding engaging member of one of the plurality of rear support posts.

4. The product management display system of claim 2, wherein a product retaining member extends from one of the plurality of forward support posts to an adjacent forward support post.

5. The product management display system of claim 1, wherein each divider wall of the plurality of divider walls is made from a transparent material.

6. The product management display system of claim 1, each groove has a width that is larger than a thickness of each divider wall to allow each divider wall to shift laterally within the groove as product is moved forward by the pusher mechanism.

7. The product management display system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of product dispensing rows comprises at least 5 rows.

8. The product management display system of claim 1, wherein each divider wall of the plurality of divider walls has a thickness within a range of 0.015 inches and 0.060 inches.

9. A product management display system comprising:

a tray having a front end, a rear end, and a floor configured to support a plurality of beverage containers, wherein the floor includes a plurality of grooves such that each groove of the plurality of grooves engages one of a plurality of divider walls, wherein each divider wall of the plurality of divider walls separates the tray into a plurality of product dispensing rows;

wherein a first divider wall of the plurality of divider walls is arranged in a first groove of the plurality of grooves, wherein the first divider wall separates a first beverage container of the plurality of beverage containers in a first product dispensing row of the plurality of product dispensing rows from a second beverage container of the plurality of beverage containers in an adjacent product dispensing row of the plurality of product dispensing rows;

a pusher mechanism arranged within each product dispensing row of the plurality of product dispensing rows, wherein the pusher mechanism is configured to move the plurality of beverage containers toward the front end of the tray; and

wherein the first divider wall is arranged to laterally shift within the first groove when contacted by the first beverage container when the first beverage container is moved forward by the pusher mechanism.

10. The product management display system of claim 9, wherein the first beverage container and the second beverage container contact the first divider wall.

11. The product management display system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of product dispensing rows comprises at least 5 rows.

12. The product management display system of claim 9, wherein each divider wall of the plurality of divider walls has a thickness within a range of 0.015 inches and 0.060 inches.

13. The product management display system of claim 9, wherein a plurality of forward support posts are positioned at the front end of the tray and a plurality of rear support posts are positioned at the rear end of the tray.

14. The product management display system of claim 13, wherein each divider wall of the plurality of divider walls includes a first engaging member at a first end of the divider wall that engages with a corresponding engaging member of one of the plurality of forward support posts and a second engaging member at a second end of the divider wall that engages with a corresponding engaging member of one of the plurality of rear support posts.

15. The product management display system of claim 13, wherein a product retaining member extends from one of the plurality of forward support posts to an adjacent forward support post.

16. The product management display system of claim 9, wherein the divider walls are made from a transparent material.